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78  HELICOPTER AIR SERVICE PROGRAM

suited than any other as the necessary corollary to our future airline operations. However, at this point, the scheduled helicopter airlines are still dependent upon Congress to decide their future.
For these reasons, then, we are here today to ask that the helicopter experiment be continued and that it be used as the basis for an expansion of helicopter service across the Nation. We believe that depriving it of support at this time would be to mark "failure" to the entire experiment and would represent a serious setback to both industry and Government in exploring solutions to the Nation's diverse and multiplying transportation problems. In short, we in the aerospace industry are convinced that it is in expansion and not curtailment of such operations that the national interest is best served, and we recommend this course of action to the Congress.
Thank you.
Senator LAUSCHE. Thank you very much.
Senator Hart?
Senator HART. I think not, Mr. Chairman.
Senator LAUSCHE. How many helicopter manufacturing companies do we have in the Nation?
Mr. KAMAN. Sir, there are a good many. In the role of transport helicopters, as involved in the current discussion, there are but a few. Those who are supplying helicopters to the Government number about six or seven, and there are many smaller trying to get started in the commercial field.
Senator LAUSCHE. Where is your plant located?
Mr. KAMAN. Kaman Aircraft headquarters is in Bloomfield, Conn.
Senator LAUSCHE. How large is your business by way of employees, just as a matter of information?
Mr. KAMAN. My company employs 3,500 people at the present time. I would like to clarify a point for the Senator. We are the one company that is solely building helicopters for the military. We are not selling any helicopters at this time commercially, and therefore it was felt that I was well suited to address myself to this problem.
Senator LAUSCHE. You are not in the market of selling helicopters to companies which are engaged in this metropolitan service?
Mr. KAMAN. No, sir. I, as an individual, and my company are not so engaged at this time. I have been in the helicopter business virtually since its inception in 1943, and I am somewhat familiar with the technical aspects of the evolution of this industry and the problems associated with it.
Senator LAUSCHE. Do you have any questions?
Senator HART. No. I would like to thank the witness for stating what rather well I think is the concern that I hope everybody in the Congress entertains. I know I do.
On page 2 you make the point that we are about at a point of breakthrough here, and that if in fact we are at the point of breakthrough, and if in likelihood termination of subsidies would finish the three subsidized operations, then when you balance the enormous potential that Mr. Halaby described for us in the future use of the role that the helicopters can play, against the relatively small sums for subsidy, it wouldn't be a prudent judgment to terminate it. Isn't that the basis of your argument?